GAT-X105 Strike Gundam
The GAT-X105 Strike Gundam is a prototype multi-mode mobile suit piloted by Kira Yamato and was later passed down to Mu La Flaga. Technology and Characteristics Build on the X100 series frame first adopted by Duel Gundam, the Strike has the Phase Shift armor system. In terms of armament, the Strike itself is equipped only with two head-mounted CIWS and a pair of combat knives stored in the hips, but it can also be optionally armed with a bazooka, a shield and a beam rifle. The Strike is the most versatile of the five Gundams in the Earth Alliance's G Project. Using its Striker Packs, it can be outfitted for high mobility (Aile Strike), heavy assault (Launcher Strike) or heavy melee combat (Sword Strike). As a result, the Strike does not have much excess weight as it only carries equipment that is necessary for the combat situation. Features ;*Hardpoints for Striker Packs :The key feature of the Strike is its ability to equip additional equipment in the form of striker packs. Each striker pack is designed to outfit the Strike with the equipment needed to fulfill specific combat roles with maximum efficiency. ;*Phase Shift armor :As with all of the G Project mobile suits, the GAT-X105 Strike is equipped with phase shift armor. When activated the Strike's color is changed from a light grey to a white scheme with a bit of blue and red mixed in. Phase Shift armor, when activated, renders the Strike immune to physical attacks such as bullets, the GINN sword, or against missiles. However Phase Shift armor continually drains the battery of energy, shortening the mobile suit's combat endurance, and uses up additional energy when it is hit. Armaments ;*"Igelstellung" 75mm multi-barrel Anti Air CIWS :Mounted in the Strike's head are two "Igelstellung" 75mm multi-barrel CIWS guns. These light projectile weapons are used to intercept missiles and to destroy lightly armored vehicles, although it is classified as Anti Air. ;*"Armor Schneider" Combat Knife :Stored in the Strike's hips are a pair of folding "Armor Schneider" combat knives. These knives do not need power from the suit, can be thrown, and are capable of piercing the joints and under-armored sections of ZAFT mobile suits. ;*57mm High-energy Beam Rifle :An optional armament, the beam rifle can be stored on the rear waist. This is the primary ranged combat weapon and can easily destroy a ZGMF-1017 GINN with one shot, but is mostly ineffective against suits with anti-beam coating. It has an additional handle that can shift to the side, and is often used for extra stability when the Strike is firing its rifle rapidly. ;*Bazooka :The bazooka is an optional heavy assault weapon based upon the standard bazooka design of firing explosive shells. Because it is a conventional weapon, the bazooka does not draw power from the Strike's battery and this results in extended combat endurance. Another advantage is that the bazooka can be used underwater, unlike a beam rifle. ;*Shield :The shield is an optional piece of handheld equipment designed to increase the Strike's defensive capability. It is used to intercept attacks that the pilot cannot, or will not dodge. The shield does not have phase shift armor, so it is not as durable as the Strike's armor, however it also does not drain energy each time it is hit. The shield's major advantage is that it is anti-beam coated and can block or deflect energy based attacks from beam weapons, an ability the phase shift armor is unable to accomplish. Striker Packs ;*AQM/E-X01 Aile Striker :Aile Striker is a high-powered thrusters backpack designed to enhance GAT-X105 Strike Gundam's mobility and maneuverability in both space and the atmosphere. Later on, it was upgraded to allow full-fledged atmospheric flight by both the Orb Union and the Alliance. :Aile was the most commonly used of the Striker Packs (especially by early Strike pilot Kira Yamato), and generally the one that Strike would sortie with. Aile Striker is equipped with a pair of beam sabers, and the Strike often use this Striker pack together with a beam rifle and shield. ;*AQM/E-X02 Sword Striker :This Striker Pack was designed for close combat, with a very large anti-ship laser sword (Schwert Gewehr), a "rocket anchor" (Panzer Eisen) and a beam boomerang (Midas Messer). :The Panzer Eisen is protected by anti-beam coating and can be use as small shield. It is worth noting that the Sword Striker on the Archangel is a prototype model, as such the Schwert Gewehr's hilt laser gun is not functionable and is replaced by a beam blade emitter. :The Sword Striker is the only one that can be used underwater due to the design of its weapons, and has the lowest energy consumption, thus has the highest combat endurance. ;*AQM/E-X03 Launcher Striker :This Striker Pack was designed for long-range assault, and is equipped with a 380mm Super-High Impulse Cannon (Agni) and a combo weapons pod, which contain a 120mm anti-ship Vulcan and two 350mm gun launchers (unlike the Buster Gundam's gun launchers, the Strike Gundam's launchers appeared to fire rocket propelled grenades). :The "Agni" Impulse Cannon had enough firepower to punch through a colony wall, or slag an enemy mobile suit with a single hit. ;*AQM/E-YM1 Perfect Striker :The GAT-X105+AQM/E-YM1 Perfect Strike Gundam is the heavy armed variant of the Strike. :This Pack allows the Strike to have the agility of the Aile Strike Gundam, the heavy firepower of the Launcher Strike Gundam and the close range power of the Sword Strike Gundam at the same time. There are a few visible changes to the Aile Stiker Pack as its main wings been moved back slightly to make room for the connection points for the "Schwert Gewehr" Anti-Ship Sword, "Agni" Hyper Impulse Beam Cannon and four extended batteries connected on the Aile Striker Pack's back. :Since the energy usage become a serious problem when the Aile Striker, the Sword Striker and the Launcher Striker are used at the same time, 4 extended battery packs are mounted on the modified Aile Striker. Each battery can be jettisoned after its energy is used up in order to avoid being dead-weight. History To counter ZAFT's advanced mobile suits, the Atlantic Federation secretly collaborated with ORB Union's Morgenroete to develop their own series of mobile suits under the G Project. In January CE 71, five prototype suits were secretly rolled out at the space colony Heliopolis. ZAFT however became aware of these machines, infiltrated the colony on January 25 and stole four of the suits. The only machine to remain out of ZAFT's hands was the Strike, which was first piloted by Murrue Ramius, a EA lieutenant and then by a civilian Coordinator named Kira Yamato. Kira used the suit to fight against the invading ZAFT forces although he could not prevent the destruction of the colony. Following this battle, the Strike was entrusted to Kira. Thus, Kira joined the crew of the Archangel and fought against the pursuing ZAFT forces both in space and later on Earth. During the ship's journey to the EA's JOSH-A base in Alaska, Kira battled and defeated several ZAFT ace pilots, including Andrew Waltfeld and the ZAFT Reds who piloted the four stolen Gundams. On April 17, Kira fought an intense battle against his former friend Athrun Zala in his GAT-X303 Aegis Gundam. In this battle the Strike was severely damaged, although its remains were salvaged by the Orb Union. Kira himself was rescued by Junk Guild member Lowe Guele and brought to PLANT, where he stole the ZGMF-X10A Freedom Gundam with the help of Lacus Clyne. The ORB Union eventually rebuilt the Strike from the damaged remains and loaded it with the newly developed Natural-use OS. Following the defection of the Archangel crew who sought refuge at Orb Union in early June, the Strike became the personal mobile suit of ace pilot Mu La Flaga. Mu's Strike sparred with Kira Yamato's Freedom and was also involved in the battle to protect Orb against the Alliance's invasion. Some time later, Mu used the Launcher Strike in the battle his long-time rival Rau Le Creuset, who was piloting the new ZAFT MS, ZGMF-600 GuAIZ. During the final battle of the first Bloody Valentine War, Creuset was assigned to the advanced ZGMF-X13A Providence Gundam. Despite being a versatile mobile suit, the Strike proved to be no match for the superior Providence and was heavily damaged thus forcing Mu to retreat Archangel. Before he could enter the ship, he protected the ship from a positron blast from the EA ship Dominion. The positron blast destroyed the Strike, killing Mu La Flaga. During the Second Battle of Jachin Due, another Strike, called the MBF-02 Strike Rouge Gundam, was built by Orb and piloted by Cagalli Yula Athha. It was passed to Flay Allster after the Bloody Valentine War. After the war, as part of the "Actaeon Project" MS development plan, at least one other Strike was re-manufactured and revised. This unit was piloted by Phantom Pain Captain, Neo Roanoke, and had a darker phase-shifted colors to better balance energy consumption and armor strength.